Woking Palace

It was held by numerous nominees of the Crown until 1466 when Lady Margaret Beaufort and her third husband (of four), Sir Henry Stafford obtained the Manor by royal grant.

Depicted as the successful, unlikely kingmaker in The Red Queen by historian Philippa Gregory, she regularly figures at the Palace.

Historians differ on whether her House of Lancaster forces, close alliances and efforts contributed more to her success than mistakes, betrayals and unpopularity of Richard III of England.

While he was there, a false rumour spread in London that he had been assassinated with some of his courtiers by Catholic conspirators using poisoned knives or pistol shot.

[5] The king quickly returned to London unharmed and the church bells were rung at St Margaret's, Westminster.

[6] Sir Edward Zouch, the Knight Marshal, was made steward of Woking Manor or Palace and keeper of the park on 9 May 1609 by King James.

[7] In June 1609 Simon Basil, the surveyor of the royal works, came to Woking to estimate costs for repairs to the manor, office houses, a wharf, and two bridges.

Zouch asked Basil to estimate for cleaning out the moat and building a new bridge over the river at the front of the house.

He was first keeper of Woking Park, including the Palace, and in 1620 acquired it from a cash-strapped crown for a rent of £100 a year and the duty of serving the first dish to the king on a feast on St James's Day.